butts



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. H. B. BUTTS.

DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING READING MATTER.

Patented Jan. 8, 1895 z'm eniar fiw Blms,

v I .flifoznegs wiincsses.

% f r 27/ I R5 co mow-Limo. msuw-srm o (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. B. BUTTS.

DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING READING MATTER.

No. 532,024. Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

, Sktbornegs.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rricn.

BUTTS,

OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR DISPLAYlNGREADING-MATTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,024, dated January 8, 1 895.

Application filed February 2, 1894. Serial No. 498,936. (No modeLl To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. BUTTS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Device for Displaying Reading-lllatter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in a device for displaying reading matter, and consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and set forthin the claim.

The object of my invention is to construct a box or case in which are placed two revoluble shafts upon one of which a continuous strip is adapted to be rolled by the revolving of the other shaft, in order that the reading matter attached to said strip may be read from the top of the box. It will be particularly noticed that the box is so constructed as to be easily and readily taken apart to change the reading matter upon the continuous strip.

The manner in which the strip is used to hold the printed matter is an important feature of my invention,as it enables the insertion and removal of various sized clippings from newspapers, &c., and enables their replacement by other clippings when so desired.

If a continuous strip of reading matter is to be placed upon the carrying strip, I have provided means for properly securing it and preventing the tearing of the paper.

It is believed that a concise'understanding of the invention and its features will be had from the accompanying drawings and the specification.

In the drawingsz-Figure 1 is aperspective view of my complete invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the complete construction. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the end pieces. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view, clearly showing the relative arrangement of parts. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of one of the shafts and the endless strip.

Referring to the drawings:-1 indicates a base or platform which supports the parts of the invention. Secured to and extending upwardly from said platform are two side walls 2 which are a part of a bottom portion 3 which is suitably secured upon the top of the base 1 as particularly shown in Fig. at. The ends of the plate 3 are bent slightly upwardly to allow the insertion of flanges 4 upon the lower end of the end castings 5. Said end castings 5 are of substantially the form shown in Fig. 5, having two side ears 6 to fit against the sides 2 and having flanges 4. upon the upper ends to confine the glass top 8, which is held up by four ears 9 which are cut from the sides 2 and bent upwardly at right angles with the inner surface of said sides. The ends 5 are held to the casing by means of shafts 10 which have fixed hearings in the sides 2 and over the ends of which are adapted to fit the side ears Gof the ends 5, said ears being provided with slots 11 to enable their bending out in order that the ends maybe detached from the cats ing. The parts are held in position by said shafts, which are provided upon both ends with knobs 12 adapted to fit over said ends and he held by screw studs 13 which pass through the shank of the knob and into the shafts.

It will be seen in Fig. 2 that the side flanges 14 and end flanges at prevent the dislocation of the glass 8, the ears 9 supporting the glass 8 and also holding at each end, and under the glass, a strip of paper 15 upon which can be printed such matter as will indicate the contents of the printed slip.

Fig. 4 shows the relative position of the two shafts l0 and the printed matter held upon the strip carried by said shafts.

The carrying strip 16 is preferably made of thin metal but the same can be made of strong paper, linen or in fact any material which will carry the printed matter.

The carrying strip 18 is secured at both ends to the shaft 10 and firmly fastened. This fastening preferably consists in the use of wire threads 17 the peculiar arrangement and alignment of which are shown in Fig. 2. The threads 17 are carried alternately under and over the carrying strip 16 to hold the slips of printed matter in position, the position of such slips being indicated by dotted lines in IOC nately carried over and under the strip 16 for certain distances, no two of which may be the same, to allow the insertion of clippings of reading matter which may be of' different lengths. This arrangement leaves. narrow portions 18 of the strip 16 exposed to view as seen in Fig. 2.

By manipulating the knobs 12 upon the ends of the shafts, the person reading the matter upon the strip can pass the same along to enable him to read the matter continuously.

One of the important features of the invention is the construction of the sides-2 with the projecting ears 9 which support the glasstop 8 and the cards under the ends of the glass- To take the device apart,.thestuds 13 are removed, the knobs 12 taken off, the washers 19 between the knobs 12 and the sides 6 of the end 5 taken away over the shaft, and the sides 6 pulled outwardly overthe ends of said shaft to enable the removing of the ends 5. The sides 2 can then be bent outwardly over the shaft 10 thereby enabling the removal of the glass 8 and the shafts 10 carrying. the

strip 16.

This device is preferably made of metal of the required thickness and of such a size-as will enable its location upon convenient counters in stores, hotels, &c. Its appearance is such that it will attract notice and its principal object is for displaying advertisements which are inserted upon the strip throughout its length and interspersed with interesting reading matter.

It is thought that the manner of constructing this device as well as for the purposes for which it is intended are new and that it is a novelty foruse in displaying advertisements and reading matter.

A uniquehistory of any city may be printed continuously upon'the strip and the device used in homes for instruction or amusement. In fact the scope of its usefulness is unlim ited.

The'device can also be secured to any upright construction, advertising frame, or in fact any place that may be used to accommodate it.

Having fully'describedmy invention, what bination of the base 1, the'side of walls 2, having the bottom portion 3 integrally formed -thereon,-the ends of: which portion 3 are bent upwardly, the end castings 5 having the flanges 4 upon their lower ends engaging with the upturned ends of the plate 3, ears formed on said end castings and adapted to engage the sides 2, flanges on said ears meeting with flanges on the sides 2, atransparent plate interposed between the flanges on the ears and the flanges on the side portions 2 and parallel with each other, a retaining strip fixed to and adapted to bewound on said shafts and retaining devices mounted on said retaining strip. and adapted to bind thereto independent slips asset forth.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. BUTTS. Witnesses:

HERBERT S. ROBINSON, ALFRED A. EIcKs. 

